Improvement in hold-backs for carriages



PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. LANNEET, OE cLEvELAND, OEIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOLD-BACKS FOR CARRIAGES'.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,370, dated September 26, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1JOHN ILMLANNERT, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved HoldBack for Carriages, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification. Y

Figure 1 is a side view of the hold-back. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a side view.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views.

The nature of this invention relates to a device to which the hold-back straps of the harness are attached, and the special object of the same is to allow said straps to become detached from the thills when the horse moves forward unhitched from the whifletree, and thus avoid accident v to those riding in the event the horse should break loose from the whifetree and run away, and also to avoid the trouble of unhitching said straps in the ordinary work of taking the horse from the carriage.

The construction and operation of the device is as follows: In the drawing, Fig. 1, A represents a section of a carriage-thill, to which the hold-back is secured by the bands B', as shown. Attached to the under side of said band is a bar, C, whereby they are connected to each other. In said bar is formed a slot, D, Fig.`3, in the cheeks of which are pivoted a pair of tongues, E, arranged at right angles to each other. Proceeding from one end of the slotted bar C is a segment-hook, F, and which is so arrangedin its relation to the tongues E that the extreme ends thereof will reach just to the inside of the hook and move along therein on being turned, as will presently be shown.

The practical operation of the vabove-described device is as follows: The position of the tongues and hook, as shown in Fig. 1, is 'such as when the ring of the hold-back strap can be hitched to it, and which ring and strap are indicated by the dotted lines a, Fig. 1. Now, on pulling the strap in the direction of the arrow the ring will draw upon the tongue E and force it back to the position shown in- Fig. 3, which will allow the ring to pass into the hook, as indicated by the dotted lines b, Fig. 1, and which is prevented from coming out by the tongue E, which is now down or occupying the same position that the tongue E did; the spring Gr, Fig. 3, in the bottom of the slot, and Vagainst which the angle of the tongues press, being of suflicient strength to hold the tongue from changing position by the ordinary play of the ring as it lies loosely in the hook, but which will allow the tongue to turn in either direction when sufficient force is applied for hitching or unhitching the ring. The position of the strap, as shown in Fig. 3, will cause the ring thereof to draw upon the hook on backing the horse or on going down hill, and thereby hold back the carriage from running upon the animal 5 but should the traces be unhitched from the whifiietree and the horse moved forward, the ring of the strap will draw upon the tongue E and force it to the position shown in Fig. 1, and thereby allow the ring to slip from the hook, releasing the horse from the thills. Each end of the slot D is closed by a filling, and upon which the ends of the spring rest, thereby preventing it from falling through the slot or pressing upon the wood of the thill. The hold-back device in Figs. 1 and 3 is represented as being secured to the under side of the thill, but which, however, may be secured to the upper side thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, should thatposition be preferred.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described hold-back for carriages7 consisting ofthe bands B surrounding the thills A, slotted bar C, tongues E E', spring Gr, and hook F, arranged to operate in the manner as described, and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN A. LANNERT.

Witnesses:

J. H. BURRTDGE, D. L. HUMPHREY. 

